A Pivotal Era in LGBT History?

Whilst there have, undoubtedly, been significant milestones in LGBT history in earlier decades, I believe the Eighties was a particularly important period.

That decade saw a major shift towards the emergence of a global gay culture. The gay genie came right out of its little pink bottle and into the streets (and the media…and politics…and the arts…)

Ironically, much of this was driven by adversity. The appearance of HIV/AIDS was most certainly a factor: it ripped through our communities but, at the same time, engendered a spirit of unity and resistance that transcended national borders.

But there were many other storms – great and small – that had to be weathered too. For example, in the US, the Court of Appeal ruled that there was no ‘fundamental right’ to be gay.

In the UK, the Thatcher government created Clause 28 of the Local Government Act, making it illegal for local authorities to support anything that might promote homosexual relationships as a viable alternative to heterosexual ‘family life’.

And, unsurprisingly, the Catholic Church continued it’s attack on gays. In 1986 Pope John Paul II labelled us “evil” and ordered the Church to withdraw all support from gay Catholic organisations.

The battle was on – at a global, national, and local level. And I’m proud to say I was in there doing my bit!

Of course, it wasn’t all doom and gloom; every now and then there was a glimmer of hope.

Some regional legislators in places like the UK, US and Australia introduced anti-discrimination laws.

And even the US Army, who had declared homosexuality to be “incompatible with military service” in 1982, were forced to admit in 1989 that gay recruits were “just as good or better” than heterosexuals. (A finding that the US government tried – unsuccessfully – to conceal).

SPI History Walk, Sydney, 1989.

LGBT history during that period was, indeed, a rich tapestry. And that’s basically what I’m trying to document here.

Maybe it’s a sign of my advancing years but I’m increasingly coming to appreciate the value of knowing our history.

It’s not just reminiscing about ‘the good old, bad old days’, it’s also about recognising what we’ve been up against and how we’ve come through it (not least because we’re still going to be up against it for a while yet).

The great Harvey Milk spoke of the dangers of homosexuals remaining invisible in society and I think that applies to the past as much as the present. (Indeed, I think many people are unaware or have forgotten just how pivotal a role Milk himself played in global gay and lesbian history).

For me, being part of the LGBT community isn’t just about identifying with the ‘here and now’. It’s also about feeling a connection with our history – whether that’s the men with the pink triangles in the Nazi death camps or the lesbians who abseiled from the gallery in Britain’s Parliament to protest Clause 28.

Lesbian/Gay Freedom Day Poster, San Francisco, 1983

It’s about major events and others that may, on the face of it, seem small and insignificant. But they all add up and they all played their part in bringing us to where we are now.

In recognition of that my posts will be a mix of observations, personal experiences and opinions. Hopefully it will be pretty clear which is which but, either way, it will all be a bit one-sided!

That being the case, I very much welcome input from others. Your opinion or your experience – it all helps add to the picture I’m trying to paint.

You can see from the side bar what kinds of things I’ll be posting on. But please don’t see that list as set in concrete, I’m sure other areas will be added as they come to my attention.

I’m also hoping to add a more interactive function as the site develops. So watch this space! In the meantime, I hope you like what you find here and will feel happy to put in your own comments.

11 Responses to A Pivotal Era in LGBT History?

I am doing a project about homosexuals and the way they have been stigmatised, alongside the way they were treated for example through medicalisation. Some of the things I have read are quite disturbing and It actually makes me feel sick.

Thank you very much fo sharing all the experiences in the blog… It is really valuable for all us that were not there… I was a child in the 80s, and while I maybe slightly perceived a little bit of what was going on (specially AIDS) I couldn’t see how many important things we have now were fought at that time.

Thanks for this place to share and link up with our history in the eighties and mine working for lesbians and gays in South London. Any one out there remember GLGC in Woolwich on the Bowater Industrial Estate, I worked there from 1984 to 1991. Lots of memories of a momentous period for us all